piking in the u.s

[fishypaul]

we seem to have quite a few members from north america now,
i know that pike is a popular species over there but the only method i ever hear being used is lure fishing
do any of you guys in the u.s ever bait fish for pike ?

[Vulcan]

Why do you think we are reading up on it here? LOL
Seriously though, I have only heard of people on this side of the pond using live sunfish for bait. Other than that, very large artificials are the bait of choice, usually stickbaits, large plastics and crankbaits used on or near the surface. Actually the only pike fishing available in the U.S. is in the far northern states and is overshadowed by more desirable fish. Hopefully someone from Canada will pipe up and give you a better answer. The only serious pike fishing I have ever done was in jolly old England, in the early 70's on the river Ouse in Bedford. I shocked a bunch of guys in a roach tournement (derby?, match?) once when I walked down to the river with a 5' rod and heavy reel and started casting a quarter pound of steel (large spinner bait) fishing for pike. Their looks of consternation turned to looks of gratitude when I pulled a couple of pike out though. It seems nobody had had a bite in a couple of hours and the pike were ruining the roach fishing.

Now could you answer a newby question for me please?
What is "blanking"? and what is "ledgering"?

best regards,
Brad

edit: I hope you will not take this the wrong way but, amongst real sportsmen in the U.S. only non-hackers use live bait. A real fisherman can get the same results (usually) with artificials.

[hambo]

blanking = catching nothing

ledgering= fishing a static bait on the lake bed using a lead weight (ledger)

[trespasser]

I have not done it myself, but I have been advised to tailhook sunfish and
chubs, and fish the edges of flooded flats on a small river near my house.

I have had some close encounters with inline spinners. I dont think
any certain method is right or wrong, as long as you end up with
a 40+ inch pike on your line. Levi

[skinhead]

Oi Oi,

I must admit I am personally against live baiting or using coarse deads. Using sea deads from the local fish monger sits o.k with me. However, I don't do ANY bait fishing at all, I rely on artificials, cranks, soft plastics, spinners, spoons & flies e.t.c.

[wallydon]

I agree with Skinhead for the most part. However, while fishing for Walleye with live minnows on jigs, I have often caught pike instead. This mostly happens in deep water in the spring. So, it works.

[cichlid]

BANJO MINNOWS are really all I've ever used or pike or pickeral they rock for them pike are highly aggressive predator fish and when they see a banjo its like krytonite to them. You gotta use spider wire though so they don't rip it off.